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Tuesday, 17 July 2012

'The Shire': Sophie and Vernesa. What's the appeal?

‘The Shire’ – the Network Ten TV ‘dramality’ [geddit, drama + reality] show… it had all the
makings of a controversial show, right from the outset.

From the teaser trailers released by Ten [featuring, amongst others, Sophie
and Vernesa; see more here: http://josiesjuice.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/shire-australias-jersey-shore.html], to the pics on the show’s Facebook page, to TV commentator reviews
[not to mention the early outrage expressed by the Shire’s Lord Mayor], it was
always going to incite social media mayhem. And yes, the Twittersphere went
nuts last night.

But as Deborah Thomas wisely pointed out this morning on Nine’s ‘Mornings’,
for the almost 1 million people who did watch it, the rest of
Australia’s millions didn’t.

One journo friend who still lives in the Shire said she was offended by
the representation of her beloved area. I understood: I still proudly live in
the West, and if camera crews came around and showed only the stereotypes of
the area [poverty, crime, etc] I’d want to tell the world the precinct I live
in is pretty darn fabulous.

Despite the overwhelming negativity, there’s one thing we can bank on: of
the close to 1 million people who did watch, around that amount will watch it
again next week. Those who did not watch it last night will be tuning out just
so they can, well, bitch about it too.

The most intriguing characters, the ones garnering the most discussion
this morning, were Sophie and Vernesa.

Augmented to within an inch of their lives, the spray tanned,
pneumatic-boobed duo [who call each other ‘wifey’, and are proud of how they
look], elicited much of the negative comments.

And so I did what most women would’ve done in the comfort of their
lounge rooms, with tracky daks on: ask their partners if they found these women
attractive. I can pretty much predict my husband’s answer ["ahhhh… NO!"], but I
wanted to widen the net and ask the best barometer I have [short of going out, Dave
Hughes-style with a mic to gather vox
pop style sound bites]: ask my friends on Facebook.

Guys and girls responded, and much of it [okay, all of it] was negative.

Said
Joe: “If they’re not careful there gonna knock each other out,” referring to
their big breasts. “Honestly Josie, they do nothing for me. Fake bimbos.”

Added
Anthony: “Absolute rubbish if you ask me... These women are so fake, and the
show was pathetic. People all around the world are gonna watch this and think
this is what Australians are like.”

One
word summed it up for Rob: “Fake.”

“That
much "fakeness" is a turn off,” added Anthony.

Anna
conducted some ‘market research’ for me, asking her partner: “He just looked at
them and said, “I wouldn't put them next to a candle; they'd probably melt.”

Laura
also asked her partner about the girls’ appearance: “Fake, vain, over done,
ugly and a complete turnoff!” he said.

Leah
added her own perspective: “If they weren't being validated in some way by
those around them, they wouldn't keep it up. One wonders at their role models
too,” she added. And suddenly I felt extremely guilty for writing posts about
the Kardashians…

Anna
then added: “What gets me though is that men consistently say they hate women
who look like this. I mean, look at "Snog, Marry, Avoid" (now that
show I love. I love a good 'make-over/under!). So, why do women keep faking
themselves up? They must be deluded enough to think men like it because who
would do this to themselves? Natural beauty always wins out.”

Anthony,
a single 30-something year old man, agreed: “It’s like a drug addiction... You
need to know when to stop. I don’t mind a little make over, nails, hair, etc.”

Nineteen
year old Cass went for the jugular, possibly inspired by a meme already doing
the social media round: “KILL IT BEFORE IT BREEDS!!”

Sheree,
a Shire girl herself, added: “I can't believe how chav these chicks are. They
think they look hot, but they look like trannies.”

Twenty-something
single guy David added his thoughts: “If I honestly see girls like this I think
one thing... one night stand… I also think: snob and poor self esteem issues...
no girl should wear that much make up and have that much plastic surgery!! A
guy will wanna marry a girl who is comfortable with her own natural appearance
and is happy and confident to be around her husband in trackies and a
singlet... I haven’t watched The Shire and doubt I will cause basically it's a
stereotype show like Jersey Shore and highlight what is wrong with society and
doesn't give a clear indicator of what Australia is really like in this day and
age!”

Dan added
cheekily: “I'm sure they have lovely personalities.”

And Chris:
“…makes me wanna have sex with a man. And I ain’t gay.”

Added
Paul: “That's some seriously good drag.”

So,
as baffled as ever as to why some women spend an absurd amount of money on upkeep which
is ultimately ridiculed by many, I am no wiser as to what makes Vernesa and Sophie tick.

I IQ'd it and watched it later, mainly on fast forward, just to see the 2 blow up dolls (actually I think they have more plastic than a blow up doll). I won't be watching again, I just wanted to 'see' it for curiosity. Plus they sounded so dumb.

The Becka chick and her father? Ew what kind of relationship was that? I thought it was her sugar daddy, as they were a bit too touchy feely. And she wasn't even that attractive plus she had a really bad weave.

Oh, Vernesa and Sophie! If you want to look that fake, pay money to look that fake... good on you. I don't like it at all - seems most don't - but if it makes YOU happy, knock yourself out! No harm done...

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About Me

I grew up in Sydney, still here. Studied Communications at uni, married, had twins. Sure, my children are my life. But I also had a whole other life before them I worked very hard for. And now, I juggle; sometimes excelling, sometimes not so much. I like the former, and strive for this daily. I’m a journalist (I’ve written for Marie Claire Australia, Madison magazine, Jetstar magazine, Studio magazines, Practical Parenting, Cream magazine, Cosmopolitan Middle East and Australia + more) blogger (for my blogs, plus Debrief Daily, mamamia, The Punch, + more) and PR, and I’m also now an author. My book 'The Australian Ageing Generation Handbook' is about carers, for carers, for me, for my beloved late mother. I am VERY proud of it. We all become carers - this is THAT book for YOU. My partner in life is a tad OCD and I take full advantage of that (my house = spotless). My twins - Rafael and Estella: I love them a ridiculous amount. But as all mothers know, you need balance, darling. The blogs I write are my passions: www.josiesjuice.blogspot.com.au wwwtwinnieworld.blogspot.com.au www.ourautismadventures.blogspot.com.au http://www.oursandwichgeneration.blogspot.com.au